Your academic and scientific career at the Charité

A doctorate at the Charité means more than just scientific work – it is the start of an academic career at one of the most renowned university hospitals in Europe. A doctorate is proof of the ability to carry out in-depth, independent academic work. Doctoral students benefit from excellent supervision, interdisciplinary research environments and the close link between clinical and scientific research.

The doctoral project can either take the form of a traditional individual doctorate or – if the subject is suitable and the selection procedure was passed – a structured doctoral program.
You can find additional information and advice on the subject of promotion here.
 

After the doctorate degree demonstrating the ability to carry out independent academic work, scientists can further hone their own academic profile by working on research projects and gain orientation for further career planning during the postdoc phase. During this time, they also have the opportunity to conduct independent research, build up a scientific profile and take on team responsibility by heading a junior research group.

The Charité's Academic Career Development team supports postdoc students in the various phases of this process with advice and development opportunities. Additional structured programs provide the opportunity to pursue various career paths in science. The BIH Charité Clinician Scientist Program (CSP) offers research-active physicians a modern career path that provides skills-based specialist training with a contractually regulated proportion of working time (“protected time”) for research. The Medical Scientist Pilot Program is aimed at non-physician scientists and promotes their development in biomedical research. With the Medical Educator Pilot Program, an innovative concept in the German-speaking world, the Charité aims to support physicians involved in teaching, curriculum development and educational research in the coming years.

The path to a professorship at the Charité is varied and includes several development paths for outstanding scientists. The traditional route is via postdoctoral qualification, where you establish your academic and teaching qualifications. If you are interested in postdoctoral and teaching qualification, the postdoctoral qualification office is your first point of contact. The staff there provides consultation and makes recommendations together with the postdoctoral qualification committee. The final decision on the suitability of postdoctoral students is made after a public scientific lecture. If successful, the teaching license will be awarded and with it the title of private lecturer.

Another option is the path via tenure-track professorship. This model consists of the successful evaluation of the fixed-term tenure-track phase based on predefined performance criteria followed by the appointment to a lifetime professorship.

Appointment to a professorship at the Charité is based on a structured selection process that takes into account academic qualifications, teaching ability and relevant merit. The teaching qualification is traditionally demonstrated by the postdoctoral qualification, alternatively also by equivalent achievements like the management of a junior research group.

The individual procedural steps – from announcement to assessment all the way to selection – are organized by an appointment committee. The final appointment will be made by the responsible senate administration based on the committee’s recommendation.

A professorship at the Charité comes with a high degree of personal responsibility in research, teaching and – depending on the subject – clinical work. It simultaneously opens a broad sphere of activity in scientific networks, research associations, professional societies and academic committees.

Vacant professorships are published here: https://career.charite.de/